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The Long-Run Efficiency of Real-Time Electricity Pricing

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  • Severin Borenstein

Abstract

Retail real-time pricing (RTP) of electricity - retail pricing that changes hourly to reflect the changing supply/demand balance - is very appealing to economists because it “sends the right price signals" Economic efficiency gains from RTP, however, are often confused with the short-term wealth transfers from producers to consumers that RTP can create. Abstracting from transfers, I focus on the long-run efficiency gains from adopting RTP in a competitive electricity market. Using simple simulations with realistic parameters, I demonstrate that the magnitude of efficiency gains from RTP is likely to be significant even if demand shows very little elasticity. I also show that “time-of-use" pricing, a simple peak and off-peak pricing system, is likely to capture a very small share of the efficiency gains that RTP offers.

Suggested Citation

  • Severin Borenstein, 2005. "The Long-Run Efficiency of Real-Time Electricity Pricing," The Energy Journal, , vol. 26(3), pages 93-116, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:enejou:v:26:y:2005:i:3:p:93-116
    DOI: 10.5547/ISSN0195-6574-EJ-Vol26-No3-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Erin T. Mansur, 2003. "Vertical Integration in Restructured Electricity Markets: Measuring Market Efficiency and Firm Conduct," Yale School of Management Working Papers ysm430, Yale School of Management.
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    Cited by:

    1. Cabot, Clément & Villavicencio, Manuel, 2024. "The demand-side flexibility in liberalised power market: A review of current market design and objectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    2. Nakai, Miwa & von Loessl, Victor & Wetzel, Heike, 2024. "Preferences for dynamic electricity tariffs: A comparison of households in Germany and Japan," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    3. Cabot, Clément & Villavicencio, Manuel, 2024. "Second-best electricity pricing in France: Effectiveness of existing rates in evolving power markets," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    4. Mattias Vesterberg & Chandra Kiran B. Krishnamurthy, 2016. "Residential End-use Electricity Demand: Implications for Real Time Pricing in Sweden," The Energy Journal, , vol. 37(4), pages 141-164, October.
    5. Jacob Mays & Diego Klabjan, 2017. "Optimization of Time-Varying Electricity Rates," The Energy Journal, , vol. 38(5), pages 67-92, September.
    6. Pablo Serra, 2024. "The Auction of Contracts by Consumer Groups and the Effect on Market Power," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 64(3), pages 341-359, May.
    7. Biggar, Darryl R. & Hesamzadeh, Mohammad Reza, 2024. "Optimal retail contracts with contractible uncertainty," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).

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